11 th October 2013 Southwark Direct Payment Demonstrator Project
Demonstrator project overview • 6 Demonstrator LAs across the UK – England - Southwark, Wakefield, Oxford and Shropshire – Torfaen – Wales & Edinburgh – Scotland – 3 LA landlords and 9 Housing Associations/providers • Paying HB direct with an arrears trigger • What we are doing and who it affects – 1,474 Southwark council residents – 525 Family Mosaic residents • Potential to inform and influence: – Universal Credit design to help our customers – Voluntary and 3rd sector support agencies 2 2 www.southwark.gov.uk
Our approach March 2012 – 2,000 tenants advised of selection • Exceptions planned – Pensioners exempt from selection – Request for bank details and completion of a self-assessment support needs survey / risk assessment May 2012 – Advice Days provided June 2012 – First tenants switched onto DP Ongoing support and drop-in sessions CAB and Blackfriars Advice Centre 3 3 www.southwark.gov.uk
‘Scores on the doors’ Tenant Sample segmentation at Period 12 - Jun'13 Total 921 46% Total number of tenants paid by Direct Payment in period 251 13% Switchback 220 11% Require further work - referred for support 199 10% Non-engagers 136 7% HB cancelled for any other reason than vacated 135 7% Refusals - engaged but did not provide eg bank details 92 5% Others - includes failed payments, suspensions etc 38 2% HB cancelled as tenant has vacated 7 0% Payment Exceptions Total number of tenants in scope for the DP 1999 100% • Over £5 million has been paid in Housing Benefit directly • Rent collection rate is 91% overall for Southwark project 4 4 www.southwark.gov.uk
Risk profile of Southwark DP tenants • All tenants completed a risk assessment questionnaire • 36% have a Tier 1 risk factor – implying significant support needs and an APA • 41% have a Tier 2 risk factor (& no Tier 1) – Implying some support needs and possible APA • 23% reported no significant risk factors – But there is evidence of under-reporting particularly around debt • Learning is that risk assessment must be evidence based 5 www.southwark.gov.uk
Approach to support • All tenants offered opportunity to receive advice before going onto DP – Advice Days with Housing, Benefits, VCS partners, Banks/CU – Less than 5% take-up – Those who attended loved it • Tenants getting into arrears on DP are all referred to relevant agencies for support – 80% decline support – No takers to try ‘jamjar’ accounts – Some ‘difficult’ cases are managing DP with support • Stronger incentive needed in UC – Claimant Commitment 6 www.southwark.gov.uk
Different approach = different results • Across all DPDPs – triggers, resource and support levels vary • Within Southwark project we have different... – IT and telephony capability – Staff skills/grades – Corporate objectives – Collection rates • ...although tenant risk scores are similar for FM & LBS • DPDPs are developing a ‘Landlord Learning’ document of what has been tried and what we have found works 7 www.southwark.gov.uk
Family Mosaic Support Provision for DP • Welfare Rights Adviser • Money Adviser • Tenancy Sustainment Officer • Toynbee Hall Money Worker • 200 tenants referred for ‘support’ since start of project. www.southwark.gov.uk
Family Mosaic People initially contacted • 96 self- identified as ‘needing support’ through Southwark self assessment survey • 75% responded to contact – Of these, 37.5% did not need support with financial matters – 6.25% were already receiving support – 6.25% needed support from FM with their benefits or tenancy – 25% did not respond to any contact www.southwark.gov.uk
Family Mosaic External referrals • 13 tenants referred to Toynbee Hall for banking support – 4 tenants supported to open bank accounts – 2 tenants identified as ‘exclusions’ • 14 tenants referred to SHP (local floating support provider) – No tenants engaged with SHP Q. What is the perception of support? www.southwark.gov.uk
Family Mosaic Support for Switchbacks • People have revealed support needs at point of switchback • Not just a benefits issue – the need for a more holistic support service • Dedicated ‘tenancy sustainment’ role • Working with tenants to put them back on DP www.southwark.gov.uk
Observations • Arrears will increase • Administrative costs will increase – Income Officer ‘patch’ was 900 households is now 500, only half of whom are actually on DP – Many more payments to process • Support is resource intensive – Getting people to engage takes time and effort – People prefer face to face contact and ‘one to one’ advice – Drop in advice sessions / open days not always a success • Switchback process has revealed more support needs where people have found themselves struggling to manage • Customer relationships and knowledge are becoming key www.southwark.gov.uk
3 key challenges for Southwark • Rent arrears rise in spite of extra costs – How will the extra costs be funded? • Not clear how UC will manage the switchback process – Lack of automated links with UC will make process unworkable – Key learning from DPDPs is that the close relationship between Landlord and LA is vital to process operation • Effective delivery of support, with an outcome that reduces arrears – Levels of support in project are not scalable to BAU – Who carries the risk of failed support? 13 www.southwark.gov.uk
Local Support Services Framework • What is LSSF and who will require it • What services will be provided – Existing / New (specific to the migration and implementation of UC) • Triage and Orientation • Online Access – ‘ Digital Where Appropriate ’ • Financial Products Provision and Budgeting/debt advice • Welfare Benefit and Advice • What we’re developing and hoping to achieve – Service mapping with commissioners and providers of support services – Partnership working across the Council, JCP and VCS partners – Joined up approach to create a “single claimant journey” for claimants with complex needs, identifying cases for exception payments 14 www.southwark.gov.uk
Any questions? Karen Michael Service Development Team Leader Karen.michael@southwark.gov.uk Denise Brewster Denise.brewster@familymosaic.co.uk 020 7525 4867 07507 470344 15 www.southwark.gov.uk
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